Hamilton school board lawyers up with administrator suspended

Hamilton Board of Education is lawyering up; they’ve approved a measure to go out for special counsel for a “personnel matter.”

The measure, approved at a special meeting Thursday night, will have the district send out a bid proposal for that lawyer, separate from the district’s normal legal help.

“It’s for a personnel matter, all I can say it’s a personnel matter,” Superintendent James Parla said.

The most high-profile district employee who could face that counsel would be Business Administrator Joe Tramontana.

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Tramontana was placed on administrative leave after testimony in the federal corruption trial of former Hamilton Mayor John Bencivengo. Marliese Ljuba, the prosecution’s key witness, said she gave Tramontana and his wife gifts, trips meals and tickets while she was the health insurance broker for the school district.

Bencivengo was found guilty of federal corruption charges in November. He was accused of taking $12,400 in bribes in exchange for influencing members of the school board on Ljuba’s contract.

Parla said Tramontana achieved tenure in September.

The board also approved a new position, the assistant business administrator. Parla said the new administrator will work at various tasks at the discretion of the business administrator. He said it was not a redundancy for the BA.

In another change from the previous years, the board also voted to do away with its regular police presence. Board Member Joe Malagrino said the board is “coming on to the time to make changes as we move forward,” when he proposed cutting the position.

The board paid for a Hamilton Township police officer to attend the meetings to keep order. Malagrino said it was an unnecessary expense, and Board President Jeff Hewitson agreed.

“I don’t think we have anything contentious right now,” he said.

Board Member Albert Gayzik, referencing some of the controversial meetings of the board’s past, suggested differently. He voted to suspend using the police officer.

“There may be meetings where you want a police officer present,” he said.

Board member Richard Kanka, who voted to keep the officer at the meeting, said the officer was more for the safety of people present than the order of the meeting.

The school district will also make a budget presentation on Jan. 30. Parla said the administration has planned on flat state funding and will have a draft for the board by Jan. 18.

They also rescheduled meetings that would have otherwise held the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. They’ll be held on Nov. 25 and Dec. 18, respectively.

The board picked Joseph Slavin as the board’s permanent director of administration. He said he will primarily work with the various principals and teachers on the everyday operation of the schools.

The Hamilton resident has been working in the district for 34 years, and was the principal of Reynolds Middle School before he received the promotion.

“I’m looking forward to working with the hardworking, dedicated employees of the district,” he said.

Gary Mattia, the vice principal of Reynolds, will work as the interim principal while the district looks for a replacement. Picking Slavin fills one more vacant position on Parla’s administrative team. There are still several permanent posts open, including facilities director and human resources director.

Daniel Swirsky, the interim human resources director, is also serving as the acting business administrator and board secretary.